Ethanolic extract of Allacanthos crab inhibits cancer cell proliferation, posses anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potentials

Abstract

Cancer remains a disease with high mortality rate both in humans and animals. The etiopathogenesis of cancer is complex. Inflammation and oxidative stress are the main factors in carcinogenesis. The body uses antioxidant defensive mechanisms to oppose oxidative stress. Many oxidants scavenging compounds found in the body are of dietary origin. The anti-proliferative effects of ethanolic extract of Allacanthos crab (EEAC) were investigated on human hepatic (HepG2) and Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 luminal (MCF7) cancer cell lines using MTT assay, EEAC was more effective in HepG2 with IC50 values of (198.03 μg/mL & 152.62 μg/mL) than MCF7 breast cancer cell line with IC50 values of (436.15 μg/mL & 401.95 μg/mL) for 24 and 48 h treatment respectively. The EEAC was also very effective in anti-inflammation and antioxidant activities with IC50 values of 3.20 mg/mL & 22.29 μg/mL respectively. These important biological activities showed that Allacanthos crab could be a potential source of curing and preventing cancer with active molecules intended for applications in the pharmaceutical industry. Further study in this regard may provide more substantial clues to enhance the compounds isolation and their effectiveness in various metabolic anomalies.